WAVERLEY’S four separate Citizens Advice Bureaux could be merged into one if the findings of a review of the service are accepted.

Members of Waverley Borough Council’s Executive Committee will be told next week that the proposed rationalisation is the best way of ensuring the long-term future of the important service.

However, while the existing three CAB management committees – one each for Godalming and Farnham; Cranleigh and Haslemere are already merged – will become one, the study has accepted the importance of maintaining a presence in all four of the borough’s main population centres.

The council is the prime source of funding for the bureaux, contributing more than £200,000 each year towards the service.

Waverley Council’s community corporate overview and scrutiny committee has been working closely with the CAB to consider the best way of delivering the service to meet the needs of the borough’s communities in the future.

In partnership with the CAB organisation CitA, formerly known as National Association of Citizens’ Advice Bureaux, the council commissioned the study by independent consultants to consider the best way for the service to be delivered to residents.

The findings recommended a single borough-wide structure for Waverley’s bureaux would provide the greatest opportunity to ensure the long-term future of the service.

“The new structure will allow the service to develop strategically and to provide economies of scale, avoid replication of the delivery of services and will enable the new organisation to take advantage of new and existing funding opportunities,” said a council spokesman.

The importance of maintaining a face-to-face service in Cranleigh, Farnham, Godalming and Haslemere is recognised, but the study also identified the need to develop telephone, e-mail and internet services.

Community overview and scrutiny committee chairman, Councillor Pat Frost, said: “The Citizens Advice Bureaux provide an extremely important and valuable service to anyone living within Waverley’s communities.

“The committee welcomes the findings of the study and recent consultation with Farnham, Godalming and Haslemere town councils, which also contribute significantly to the running of the bureaux, and Cranleigh Parish Council, has shown support for a single, integrated borough-wide service.”

The outcome of the review is to be reported to Waverley’s Executive Committee on Tuesday, October 11 and the new arrangements could be in place by April next year.